Statements made by African heads of state at the summit in St. Petersburg indicate that Africa is seriously concerned about the consequences of the war, which caused food prices to rise around the world
African leaders on Friday demanded that Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to implement a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine and renew the Ukrainian grain export deal, which Moscow withdrew from last week.
Despite the fact that the leaders of the countries participating in the Russia-Africa summit did not directly criticize Moscow, their speeches made on the second day of the summit, when Putin himself took part in it, were more coordinated and decisive than previous similar statements.
This was a signal to the Kremlin that Africans are deeply concerned about the consequences of the war, especially rising food prices.
“This war must end. And this can only end on the basis of justice and reason,” said African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat, addressing Putin and African leaders in St. Petersburg. – Interruptions in the supply of energy and grain must be stopped immediately. The grain deal must be extended for the benefit of all the peoples of the world, in particular the Africans.”
In June, Reuters reported that the African peace plan included a number of possible steps to defuse the conflict, including the withdrawal of Russian troops, the withdrawal of Russian tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, the suspension of Putin’s arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court, and the relaxation of sanctions. Putin reacted rather coolly to the proposal of African leaders, but said on Friday that Moscow had “respectfully” treated the proposal and was carefully studying it.
The President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, said that the African initiative “deserves the utmost attention, it should not be underestimated … We once again urge the restoration of peace in Europe.”
Senegalese President Macky Sall called for “de-escalation to help restore calm”, while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed hope that “constructive engagement and negotiations” could end the conflict.
Responding to Mahamat, Putin said that Russia was “thankful to our African friends for their attention to this problem,” but it was Kiev, according to the Russian leader, who refused to negotiate with him after the annexation of four Ukrainian regions.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah called on Russia to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed Ukraine to export grain from its seaports despite the ongoing conflict. The president of Egypt, a major buyer of grain along the Black Sea route, told the summit that “an agreement must be reached” to reopen the deal.
Putin responded by arguing, as he had done in the past, that the rise in world food prices was “a consequence of Western political mistakes” made long before the war in Ukraine. He has repeatedly said that Russia withdrew from the Black Sea agreement last week because, under the agreement, grain did not reach the poorest countries, and the West did not fulfill its obligations.
Since withdrawing from the deal, Russia has launched massive airstrikes on Ukrainian ports and grain warehouses, prompting accusations from Kiev and the West that Moscow is using food as a weapon of war, and world grain prices have risen again.
On Thursday, Putin promised to deliver free Russian grain in the next few months to six countries participating in the summit. Putin seeks to use the event to strengthen Russia’s ties to Africa and rally the continent’s support against what he calls “US hegemony and Western neo-colonialism.”
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2023-07-28 14:36:29
